Creating VMware NFS Datastores on NetApp in 3 Easy Steps

I am often asked by customers how to set up a VMware NFS datastore on NetApp storage.  The first time I received the question, I pointed them to the NetApp vSphere TR.  It turns out the information isn't currently in the document.  I spoke to Vaughn about it and this was an over site that will be corrected.  In the meantime, here is how I create NFS shares in 3 easy steps. I'm also taking screenshots from my lab for the first time, let me know what you think of the screenshot format vs. just a bullet list.

Step One - Create the volume on the NetApp system

•  Log into FilerView, Open Volumes, Click Add -> Click Next

• Accept the default value of Flexible Volume and Click Next

• Create a name for the volume, set the language type, and click Next

• Choose which aggregate to create the volume in and click Next

• Set the size of the Volume, please notice the pull down defaults to MB NOT GB!, I typically don't set a Snap Reserve but if you don't understand the implications of this, just use the default of 20%. Click Next

• Click Commit

• Click Volumes -> Manage to and you will see the newly created volume

• If your NetApp system has been configured for CIFs, you will need to make a slight change to the Q-Tree type of the volume.  Click Volumes -> QTrees -> Manage.  If the QTree type is UNIX, skip to Step Two.  If the QTree type is NTFS, proceed.

• Click on the volume link (sim3_vmware_01 in this example) to get the following screen

• Change the QTree type to UNIX and click Apply

Step Two - Create the NFS Export (Share the Volume)

•  Click NFS -> Manage Exports -> Click on the Permissions for the newly created volume
  

•  Make sure Read-Write Access, Root Access, and Security are all checked. Click Next

• Click Next at the Export Path Screen but write down this path, you will need it later!

• At the Read-Write Access Screen, uncheck the All Hosts box and enter the ip addresses of all the VMkernel ports for the vSphere server(s).  NOTE: This is not the Service Console IP address, it is the VMkernel ip address that vSphere will use to "talk" NFS to the storage

• Repeat this process for the Root Access Screen and click Next

• Click Next at the Security Menu accepting the defaults

•  Click Commit. You are now finished configuring the NetApp System!

Step Three - Create the share in vCenter

• From the vCenter Client, Click on a vSphere server and click the configuration tab. Click Storage, Click Add Storage
  

• Choose Network File System and Click Next

• Enter the IP address of the NetApp Storage, the path to the export that you wrote down from step 2, and give your datastore a name as it will appear in vCenter

• You should now see your storage

UPDATE: I was hoping to stay away from the command line for this article.  This was really designed for users that are just beginning to get their feet wet with NFS.  But, as Mike pointed out, there is one command that should be run on each volume and this can only be achieved from the command line.  It is outlined on page 37 of the 1.0 version of the TR.  The command is: vol options (volume-name) no_atime_update on where volume name is the name of the volume (sim3_vmware_01 in my example).  Thank you for pointing that out Mike!


A few final notes.  Once all of this is complete I usually test read/write access by pulling up the datastore browser and creating a folder in the datastore and then deleting it.  Also, if the datastore will be protected by NetApp's Snap Manager for Virtual Infrastructure then I will disable snapshots.  This is all detailed in Vaughn's vSphere TR.